Un-dah pressure (9.26.05)

People tell you that the last few weeks before your wedding are so ridiculously hectic and stressful that you wish you would have eloped. I am not quite there, but I am damn close. I know that I would always regret it if I didn't have the church ceremony, friends and family, reception, band, bar...I know that I would. So that is how I'm hanging onto my sanity...but holy mother of matrimony, this thing has taken on a life of its own.
I spent yesterday buying a guest book, serving pieces for the cake, and yards of tulle and ribbon. For those of you who know me in Real Life (B.W. - before wedding)...I am NOT the type to stroll around Michael's looking at spools of string. At all. This is a whole new world. It is fun...but also very foreign to me. Last night, I sat at our dining room table and tied pink tulle and chocolate brown ribbon around mints for 3 hours. Who am I?? I know deep down, though, that all of this "stuff" is going to make the actual day and the honeymoon so amazing - I cannot wait.
Southern Living Cook-Off - what a fantastic experience. Since I am technically one of their clients (even though MY client was there, too), I was pretty much pampered. The resort where we stayed was AMAZING... only a month old. The Ross Bridge Resort was the name, and it looked like a mountain chalet. Golf course, spa, wonderful restaurants and bars, an enormous pool, those heavenly beds, robes, the works. And not only were the accomodations great, we had entertainment to boot. Wednesday night, after dinner, we had a songwriters round - Allen Shamblin and Rob Crosby (who have written songs for Bonnie Rait, Mark Wills, the list goes on and on...) sang their songs and told the stories behind them. Amazing.
Thursday, we all relaxed, had pedicures, walked the golf course, read a bit... wonderful. Then that evening was the actual Cook-Off. This thing is big, people. Not being a chef or very domestic at all, I didn't realize what a huge deal this thing is...we got to tour the Southern Living test kitchens (which was so cool), then we were off to the cook-off (hosted by Tyler Florence of the Food Network) where we got to watch 15 contestants (who are readers) compete for $100,000 by cooking their best recipes. It was so much fun.
I was exhausted by the time I got home on Friday...but managed to go to Forsyth Park with some buds for the Jazz Festival. It was a good time...but had to get up early Saturday for another shower. This one was in Macon - given by a lady I used to work with who might be the funniest and most charming woman on earth, and her daughter, who I adore. I got to see friends that I don't see often and family that I don't see enough. It was so much fun.
Then there was the bad news...our basset hound, Joey, escaped the back yard on Friday. Lee and I walked around looking for him until dark, then let the Humane Society and Animal Control know that he was out there somewhere. When I left Saturday morning, we didn't have a clue where he was or if we'd see him again. Lee called me right after the shower and let me know that someone had found Joey - he had been hit by a car, and was alive but his leg is broken in about 10 places. He is undergoing surgery tomorrow morning. It's such a blessing that he's going to be ok...but so very sad at the same time. I hate to think of either one of my babies being in pain. So please say a prayer...
All in all, there are huge silver linings all over the place. I can't and won't complain. Life is pretty damn good - I had one of "those moments" while in Birmingham...I had just walked the golf course and was having breakfast by myself in the dining room...overlooking the pool and distant mountains...and it just hit me, "I love my life." It was a strange and rare moment of peace and clarity...and I'm hanging onto it, friends.